Jacksonville Braces for Final Freeze Before Spring Warmup

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Residents of Jacksonville are being urged to bundle up this weekend as the area experiences its final freeze before a dramatic warmup. Meteorologists predict that the lingering chill will soon give way to milder temperatures, marking an early end to winter.

This January has seen over a dozen official freezes, but the cold’s grip is expected to loosen. Frosty mornings will persist this weekend, but they could be the season’s last gasp. Last February, not a single freeze occurred, signaling an early end to winter, and this year is expected to follow suit.

A pattern reversal is set to arrive next week, replacing arctic air with milder breezes and pushing temperatures into the 70s. February is expected to bring even more warmth, with the potential for 80-degree days. The jet stream’s new, less wavy path will block frigid air from reaching as far south, providing a much-needed break from the chill.

This shift follows a weather pattern known as the Negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Arctic Oscillation (AO), which brought colder conditions earlier in January. As we move into the second half of January, weather models predict a shift to the Positive Phase of the NAO and AO.

“Keep those winter coats handy for a few more days, Jacksonville, but get ready to trade the parkas for the shorts,” said Mark Collins, a meteorologist with WJXT News4JAX. “Spring weather is on its way!”

Collins, who has covered weather from every corner of Florida and conducted marine research in the Gulf, has settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.